Palace: Reimposing death penalty needs careful study

Malacañang on Wednesday said the possible reimposition of the death penalty, amid growing public outrage over corruption in government, requires careful and thorough study.

In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has yet to take a position on proposals to restore capital punishment as a deterrent against corruption.

“But of course, this will be carefully studied—whether to lift the suspension and reinstate the death penalty,” Castro said when asked if the President was open to reviving it.

She stressed that such a move cannot be decided hastily. “It must be examined deeply and thoughtfully. This is not something that can simply be declared overnight,” she added.

Calls to revive the death penalty, particularly for plunder, have intensified following reports of widespread irregularities in the implementation of flood control projects.

However, Castro warned against rushing into such a decision, noting the risks of wrongful convictions. “What if an innocent person is falsely accused or planted with evidence? The death penalty could be imposed—and that would be tragic,” she said.

She also underscored the need for integrity across the five pillars of the country’s justice system, emphasizing that justice institutions must be “clean, good, and proper.”

“We cannot allow ourselves to be influenced by past incidents where some admitted to fabricating intrigues or planting evidence,” she added.

The Palace official reiterated that the government is focusing on due process and systemic reforms as the Independent Commission for Infrastructure—an independent body created by President Marcos—continues its investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects.